"Does price buy performance or satisfaction in an HF transceiver?" - now on YouTube

It's like buying a car. I can drive to work in A VW bug or Ford pinto and practically it does the exact same thing as a 2021 Corvette. For those with corvette money, a corvette is worth it, for those with Pinto money a corvette would seem like a waste of money and they will claim you don't need 600 hp and leather seats etc. and they would be correct.

Bottom line is, I got into ham radio because chicks dig it and when they see me behind the wheel of the Yeasu 101D they get excited.

 

Here ya go!

 

Far out... I've never been able to afford any of those items of such value as to be able to induce envy in anyone else.
Wonder what that's like?

 

Price is a meaningless yardstick for performance.

I've bought radios costing an awful lot of money (Kenwood TS-990S for example) thinking they would be THE bee's knees.

In my high QRM HOA restricted environment I found these radios with their high price tag, their bells and whistles just fell flat on their face.

Then I bought a moderately middle-of-the road radio such as the FTdx3000 and it performs like a champ in this same high QRM HOA restricted environment.

Price tags mean nothing. Buy with hands-on experience where possible.

73s

 

I STILL can't see how a $1000+ Collins or Drake radio from 40+ years ago can "outperform" a $1000+ radio from TODAY??? One advantage I see with the new radios is you don't have to pay $150+ for a new set of tubes!! PLUS you can operate digital, most have a built in panadaptor, antenna tuner, etc...

 

I couldn't agree more. I am a long term owner of a R390A. It was the only radio gear I owned when I became a ham. I worked on it for some time probably spending 150 on it before having the tubes tested. A fellow ham came along and said look what you can get brand new for 120. A real to life transceiver with open source programming and large group of enthusiasts as well as great direct support from the designer Ash Farhan. I didn't need much help but being only a partial kit many did. I ordered one and have not looked back. Picked up some other radios but one of my favorites is the same Indian designed rig.

I have had hobbies in my past 70 years which as I got involved with them ate up a lot of time and money. As the costs mounted, satisfaction generally decreased, for me there is almost an inverse ratio between cost and satisfaction. There is very little to be gained except for bragging rights. There is always someone who can not hear me no matter what the price, Have vowed to not let it happen this time. At present I am still working on other radios. Keeping the mind active.

 

Go git a Yaesu FT101MP, at a little over the 4k price tag here in the UK you can see why money buys happiness and impressive functionality. God what a radio. I don't have one but I know a guy who does...my God are these radios mind blowing on receive and tx. Like the saying go's or the rule of thumb, yeah only get what you pay for.